Fusion bonded epoxy coating which was introduced as a protective coating in early 1960s, also known as fusion-bond epoxy powder coating and commonly referred to as FBE coating, is an epoxy-based powder coating that is widely used to protect steel pipe used in pipeline construction, concrete reinforcing bars (rebar) and on a wide variety of piping connections, valves etc. from corrosion. FBE coatings are thermoset polymer coatings. They come under the category of protective coatings in paints and coating nomenclature. The name fusion-bond epoxy is due to resin cross-linking and the application method, which is different from a conventional paint. The resin and hardener components in the dry powder FBE stock remain unreacted at normal storage conditions. At typical coating application temperatures, usually in the range of 180 to 250 °C (356 to 482 °F), the contents of the powder melt and transform to a liquid form. The liquid FBE film wets and flows onto the steel surface on which it is applied, and soon becomes a solid coating by chemical cross-linking, assisted by heat. This process is known as “fusion bonding”. The chemical cross-linking reaction taking place in this case is irreversible. Once the curing takes place, the coating cannot be returned to its original form by any means. Application of further heating will not “melt” the coating and thus it is known as a “thermoset” coating. The world's leading FBE manufacturers are Valspar, SolEpoxy (former Henkel/Dexter), KCC Corporation, Jotun Powder Coatings, Sherwin-Williams, 3M, Axalta, Akzo Nobel, BASF and Rohm & Haas.

FBE coating application process

Regardless of the shape and type of steel surface to be coated, the FBE powder coating application has following essential stages:

Cleaning
Pre-Heating to the recommended FBE powder application temperature
Coating / application
Post Curing